Best difficult discussions books for children according to redditors
We found 327 Reddit comments discussing the best difficult discussions books for children. We ranked the 170 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
I'm from Oakland and there's a wonderful book we all had to read as 5th graders called "Journey to Topaz." It follows a family of Americans as they're ousted from their homes, shipped off to desolate half-finished, barbed-wire enclosed barracks, then to return home after the war to find their homes and businesses had been sold off.
It's atrocious what the United States did to their own citizens out of ill-founded fear and paranoia. Remember, the most decorated unit in American military history was the 442nd Infantry Regiment - an all Japanese-American unit stationed in the European Front. Most of their relatives were interned in the Rockies while they were off fighting and dying heroically for their country.
Jesus... I'm so sorry this happened to your little boy. I can't offer much in the way of legal advice, but if I may recommend a book: I Said No!
It's a guide written by a mother-son team, based on the boy's bad experience at a sleepover. It helps to explain to children about "keeping private parts private", and how to recognize "red flag" situations, like people bribing or threatening you or telling you to keep secrets. This might help you in your talks with your son.
You're a great mom for trying to get on top of this horrid situation... I hope you find all the help you need. ❤️
I think you'd like the "Arc of a Scythe" series.. They're quite magnificent and engaging. Book 1 is "Scythe" and book 2 is "Thunderhead." Book 3 is "The Toll" and releases at the beginning of November.
I highly recommend It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity. It’s written for about that age, but I think it’s great for anyone.
the paper was actually plagiarized from Rosa Parks' book
book link
It was titled Boy. I read it to my son when he was about 10. We both loved it. The story about him being the seat warmer for the outhouse was the best.
I think it's fairly normal for kids to show each other their privates, however both obviously need to be taught that it is not acceptable. Some boy showed my daughter his junk last year in Kindergarten. She told us, we told the teacher, the principal met with the child and his parents. I don't think anyone will be scarred long term by this occurrence.
Grab a book like this one from your local library and read it with your son.
A good book for this age would be A Terrible Thing Happened - it explains the emotions that he might be feeling, as well as the process of going to therapy and starting to feel better.
In the meantime, let him talk about it as much as he needs to but keep reminding him that he's safe now (assuming he is - if not, that should be your top priority!). Validate his feelings and emphasize that it wasn't his fault, that he didn't do anything wrong. You might also check out these resources for tips and strategies written by professionals.
Legend (The Legend Trilogy) by Marie Lu##
Click here for the book.
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Concentration camps: Where you go to play baseball
https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Saved-Us-Ken-Mochizuki/dp/1880000199
https://www.amazon.com/Barbed-Wire-Baseball-Japanese-Internment/dp/1419720589
https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Baseball-Japanese-American-Internment-Historical/dp/0766033112
Here are a couple of books to get the conversation started with young kids:
I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private https://www.amazon.com/dp/1878076493/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h99xzbWBYE121
Do You Have a Secret? (Let's Talk About It!) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764131702/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_M-9xzb7PWXC7N
Your Body Belongs to You https://www.amazon.com/dp/0807594733/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_e.9xzb64WRCE9
I found this book to be VERY helpful! It's probably a tiny bit too old for a 2 year old, but you can read it and customize the message to her age which is what I did.
https://smile.amazon.com/Said-Guide-Keeping-Private-Parts/dp/1878076493/
I read a children's book recently called A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness that captures this idea so hauntingly well. I highly recommend it, no matter what your age, if you are, or have ever stared into the abyss, this book will resonate with you.
just as a semi-related side note, you might be interested in the book A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. If you do decide to read it, make sure you read the illustrated version (the one I linked to). There was a non-illustrated one published afterwards that, to me, takes away from the impact of the story. It's not told from the perspective of the monster but it's about a 12-year-old boy trying to emotionally cope with his mother's terminal illness. The monster visits him each night to teach him valuable life lessons. It's a fantastic book, Patrick Ness is one of my favorite authors.
Books About Mental Illness:
Marvel comics:
Other recommendations:
Additional resources:
EDIT: removed IDW's Transformers
My kid is absolutely bonkers for Smile, as are most kids in the early grades. It won an Eisner so it's apparently very good.
Also I highly recommend Jem and the Holograms. The first issue was free on Google Play and my kid practically begged me for the rest of the series.
Plus others have mentioned Adventure Time comics, I think there was a Marceline and Princess Bubblegum mini a while back.
This has been working for us: Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2nkkDbFCW8TTX
No, there was this: http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Be-Wizard/dp/0152049401/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300517950&sr=1-1
The YA sci-fi books I've read recently have spread out in several directions, not just the space opera type. All published and read recently:
You could possibly jam books like Matched and Delirium under the sci-fi label, but they didn't go into the tech much.
A hole I saw in this list. This is one of the absolute best ever young children's books for dealing with trauma. The best thing about it is that they show the character's trauma as a big dark cloud, and they never define it, leaving each child who reads it to fill in what that big dark cloud means to them. That gives it a flexibility that is truly amazing when working with kids who aren't talking yet.
http://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Thing-Happened-Margaret-Holmes/dp/1557987017/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417310479&sr=1-1&keywords=a+terrible+thing+happened
Does your kid like books? We had great success with this book. Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_B889yb6WN64QW
We would read it and talk about all the fun things hands were for and if he did hit me I would remind him hands are not for hitting and he would say sorry, if he hit again after i reminded him then i did timeout followed by us reading the book. We also used feet are not for kicking and paci is not forever which all worked great with him. He still asks to read them regularly. We used the feet one around 18 mths and the hands at 2 yrs old, he is now 2.5.
The Hilda series by Luke Pearson is really great. I think Hilda and the Troll is the first one, but I don't think they necessarily need to be read in order.
Also, all the Raina Telgemeier. She has Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts, as well as graphic novel versions of the Babysitter's Club books that are fantastic. And Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.
You are living through something tragically incomprehensible to most adults. The silver lining is that children are different creatures entirely. They are wonder-ful; their imaginations and empathy, unmatched. While death seems impossible to explain, I hope you can take comfort in knowing there are beautiful ways of communicating this concept to children...
Here is a short list of outstanding picture books by writers and illustrators who’ve dedicated their artwork to this express purpose:
The Dandelion’s Tale by Kevin Sheehan & Rob Dunlavey
The Memory Box by Joanna Rowland & Thea Baker
The Heart and The Bottle by Oliver Jeffers
Rabbityness by Jo Empson
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst & Geoff Stevenson
I have an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults. Death and grieving in picture books is a prominent topic. I mention this only to perhaps add some validation to these suggestions. As an adult, I’ve found relief from picture books, and I know the power they have for children.
Sending you white light. Xo
Hands Are Not for Hitting
We recently bought Hands are Not for Hitting for our toddler. It helped. She's not perfect, but it has reduced the hitting incidents.
My daughter was unfortunately a hitter as well. After trying time out and other methods, we tried a book. It's call [Hands Are Not for Hitting] (http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Hitting-Board-Behavior-Series/dp/157542200X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394044206&sr=8-1&keywords=hands+are+not+for+hitting) and anytime she would hit, we would sit her down and read that book with her. Sometimes it entailed calming her down and then reading the book, but we were very adamant on doing it every time. We had one at her sitter's house and one at our house. We also read it during her night time reading just for good measure.
Some methods work for certain kids and some don't, but that's what ultimately worked for us.
Ditto. But maybe not family therapy per se. If they kiddos are young (under 8 or 9), they may or may not have the linguistic ability to really express how they feel. But play therapy should be incorporated as well as that is how children work their feelings. Then, a good therapist can help decipher the themes of their play and what the kiddo needs. They can also recommend good books. I suggest getting The Invisible String and A Terrible Thing Happened.
Also, I'm so so sorry for your loss. Make sure to take care of yourself as well if you begin to feel overwhelmed.
EDIT: I'm sorry I got over-excited about sharing information. But therapy may not be necessary. I work with trauma a lot and there's saying "We treat symptoms, not events." Some kids are incredibly resilient and can bounce back without therapy at all.
My book list focus both on theme and authors. Obviously I went through a pretty depressed phase (hence all the deeply brooding novels). Still, I think that these female authors gave me a sense of empowerment in my young age by the sheer genius of their work. It was refreshing to read books by women I admired as well as for themes I was interested in.
And the book that taught me the most about sexuality and my body?
In defense of this book, I am not poly-amorous. I really think every female should read it. Great advice on overcoming jealousy, loving your body, and enjoying your sexuality.
Maybe some of Diana Wynne Jones's books, or Diane Duane's So You Want to be a Wizard series?
Maybe a book to read with your kid? One of these maybe:
I have a friend with an 8 year old daughter. Can speak from experience that she's addicted to these:
Phoebe and her unicorn
https://www.amazon.com/Phoebe-Her-Unicorn-Book/dp/1449446205
My Little pony comics
https://www.amazon.com/My-Little-Pony-Friendship-Magic/dp/1613776055
Smile
https://www.amazon.com/Smile-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545132061
There are some really good children’s books on death and dying, here is a good one written from a little girls perspective.
The Memory Box: A Book About Grief https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506426727/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KW-DCbW7XVQRS
So sorry for your loss. Your daughter is young so be sure to save some things so she can remember her mother later, it will be important to her later in life. For now she’s probably going to seem fine but exhibit her loss in other ways (sleeplessness, crying or even tantrums) just be with her all you can. ❤️
big chefin.
Working as a barista I burn myself a lot. One time the espresso machine was on the fritz and the steam wand sprayed hot milk all over my face. I have also accidentally spilled an entire cup of hot coffee down my shirt.
At home, I remember the first time I ever cooked bacon. I had it on too high and the oil was starting to pop. I went to turn it down lower and it let out a huge pop and sprayed hot oil all over my arm.
When I was a kid I put my hand down on the stove without realizing my mom has just used that burner. My entire finger was one big blister. It was disgusting and so painful I had to keep ice on it even when i was in the shower.
I am very accident prone.
Item. If the price raises then anything else on my list is fine too. Thanks for the contest!
>Adult Fiction:
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Grass by Sheri Tepper
Native Tongue by Suzette Haden-Elgin
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Their Eyes Are Watching God by Zora Neale Hurtson
>Adolescent Lit:
Speak by Laurie Halse-Anderson
>Nonfiction:
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
And I agree with others, Simone de Beauvoir is a great read
I saw that you're always looking for YA with strong female characters? Let me crack my knuckles, I love exercising the Masters degree I never get to use.
I could keep going if you want, just let me know! :D
I just saw a recommendation for a book called Speak and sent a Kindle sample to my friend to have a look for her nieces.
“Crippled things are always more beautiful. It's the flaw that brings out beauty.”
― Holly Black, Tithe
This book would be awesome: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0763660655/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1SOMAIOSWHZ0H&coliid=I1VTU0AQ8ZMEC8
This is basically page 1 of this book, only with horrible grammar.
Don't feel like you need to 'challenge' him with hard stuff. If it's interesting, he'll read it. A few books I remember reading between age 10 and 14 that were enjoyable were:
A lot of my friends at the time loved the Redwall books by Brain Jacques. I didn't get into them, but your son might.
I believe how well this type of stuff gets covered is highly variable. For example, I remember reading "Journey to Topaz" in middle-school.
>the hell of having to use an outdoor farm loo in winter
This is completely off-topic, but this line reminded me of a part in Roald Dahl's autobiography Boy. He attended Repton in the 30s and as an underclassman was subjected to terrible treatment by the upperclassmen. One of his duties was to warm the latrine seat in the outdoor lav (by sitting on it himself) before the upper boys came for their daily constitutional. Then he was caned if the seat was not warm enough for their liking. I think that sounds like hell.
To Be Free: Understanding and Eliminating Racism
This was originally published in 2000, but it sounds like Homeless Bird by Gloria Wheelan. According to the preview of this study guide, they hang out near a mango tree.
> Whenever they have a chance, the girls swing in the mango tree, and they love their afternoons alone in the courtyard for their...
Neal Shusterman
and you can buy it here, if you want it
Shusterman, who also wrote the great, great book Scythe.
Maybe Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan?
It's middle grade and some of the reviews published on Amazon sound like your book: Arranged marriage, husband quickly dies, lives with her mother-in-law.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NRNITY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
I had an issue with that in my preschool class. Typically reinforcing using words should work but have you also tried to figure out the emotion behind the aggressive behavior?
It does take some time to stop the behavior as we are teaching our children how to deal with their emotions. Many times they hit, kick, and grab because they don't know how to deal with anger, hurt, or sadness. I like to ask why they hit and I explain why it isn't appropriate. I always say to the kids to tell their friend, "No thank you, I don't like that." Although I was having to repeat this A LOT, it was amazing to hear kids begin using this phrase instead of immediately reacting with aggressive behavior.
When we were having a particularly difficult time with one child, it was brought to the mother's attention who then brought a book to share with the class. You may have heard of it. It's called Hands are not for Hitting.
I'm not sure how well the book works for children. From a child development standpoint, it's best to help the child acknowledge what they are feeling and provide them with tools (words) for how to deal with it or express themselves in a positive manner.
Much of it comes from Puritanical roots. Perhaps things are different now, but when I was young, Judeo-Christian households carried a certain amount of shame associated with sex, sexual organs, and discussions about them.
More shame and discomfort also comes from society trying to paint every man as some kind of molester. This may even be the biggest factor. This is nothing more than internalized misandry that men must overcome for the sake of their daughters. But internalized misandry it is. There is also external misandry. When shopping pre-K schools for my daughter, I asked if there were any male teachers (as I prefer a balance). I was told by a female teacher that it would be considered a "safety risk" by many parents. I wanted to tell her that sexual abuse convictions of female educators have tripled in the past decade. But I noped right out of there and found a better school. That said, this is what dads face on a daily basis.
As men, it is very easy for us to internalize such blatant misandry. My example is simply one of many that we face each week. Luckily, I did not have the same amount of religious programming as my peers. I just had to face society's anti-male pressures. I can see it being more difficult for my peers who were raised in parochial schools and deeply religious homes.
It takes a mindset to say "Fuck em. This is my daughter and I am her father. We can talk about our bodies. We should talk about our bodies. There is nothing wrong, shameful or dirty about it. "
I was the first to comfortably broach the subject with my daughter. I taught her to wipe and why there is an order of operations. She would happly sing the "Down in the front, up in the back" song that I taught her. Ask her why? "So I don't get Mr. Germ and Mrs. Bacteria in my buh-gina..." Fucking hilarious! And that's exactly what the topic needs, right? A bit of child-like levity.
What has also helped me is to use books from cultures that are not ashamed of the body.
The "where did I come from" question was addressed at 2-3 years old with this one. There are some other Japanese books we used, but I cannot find them online.
Body functions
Undergarments
When they get older this one is more appropriate.
I have to admit, the more you read and talk with them about the subject, the easier it gets. I also got kids' anatomy books to go over the various systems. Using clinical terms helps remove discomfort as does talking about genitals in terms of our pets ("Sada the dog has testicles because he is a boy dog. Men and boys also have testicles just like Sada".)
Regarding inappropriate touching, I find that fathers are probably better at explaining boundaries as we are usually the ones who are more adept at setting clear and consistent boundaries for our children through fatherly discipline. Once we were comfortable discussing the body, it was easy to discuss inappropriate touches. We checked this book out from the library. Good concept, mediocre execution. This one was much better and enjoyable.
These books (and subsequent discussions) helped us set a baseline and standard in the younger years builds trust that moves on to the adolescent and pre-teen years. One of the men in our Dad's Group has a teenage daughter. He was the one who taught her daughter different ways of dealing with her period (cup vs pad vs tampon). He has a wonderful bond with his daughter that was set quite early. That guy has been a great influence on all and has helped many of us remove the shame and stigma around approaching the female body.
A few random factors.
- I grew up in a multi-generational house that had at least 2 girls and women at any one time.
- I have also had plenty of girlfriends and serious (cohabitating) relationships. One girlfriend had ovarian cysts, one girlfriend had very unusually rough 7-day periods. Of course, we discussed these things together.
- I probably found my parents' copy of "The Joy of Sex" at a bit of an early age, too.
- I was the first class in my state to have sex-ed in school. This is when I was living in America. It was very controversial, as we started as 5th graders. Many parents protested this (again, American Puritan roots).
All of these things demystified female genitals and has helped with my comfort with discussions around the female body.
A bit of a ramble. But it breaks my heart to see fathers allow terrible people to drive a wedge between them and successful parental relationships with their daughters. I am skeptical of university studies, as most seek to paint men is a negative light. Perhaps this study will be no different. But maybe this post might help some dads with their discussions and relationships with daughters.
https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Saved-Us-Ken-Mochizuki/dp/1880000199
I read this too, in elementary school.
But that's what happens in an NYC public school and NYC public libraries. Not sure I can say the same for other systems.
I am the same way. I even tried going back and re-reading it after I was done with school. Didn't work, still just a terrible book in my opinion. I had to read that and All Quiet on the Western Front freshman year and they were just awful. I did get to read Fallen Angels that year though and it is still one of my favorite books to this day.
Baseball Saved Us I believe was based on a mans time at the camp. I was in elementary school in Puyallup when the book was released, so we read it. Oh, it is intended for children. It wasn't like we were watching Schindler's List or anything.
Just gonna leave a link to this right here.
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe) https://www.amazon.com/dp/144247243X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XZgJAbVGYEEN5
If you’re not already familiar with Neal Shusterman’s work, Everlost and Unwind are two of my favorite books ever written. Give this one a look as well.
Midnighters are tonally different than the Unwind series, but I still recommend it to anyone who's fine with reading YA. It's a pretty classic good versus evil story. If you like Unwind then I recommend Partials, which is fun commentary on the dangers and advantages of genetically engineered human beings. I also recommend Legend by Marie Lu. But basically everyone recommends Legend.
I'll stop reccing books now. But in theory you'll eventually run out of books and you're welcome to come back for more recs. I will have them. [It wasn't until this thread that I realized how many books I actually so read.]
I've never read it, but the author is a solid YA author with serious nonfiction and fiction chops. Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers: http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Angels-Walter-Dean-Myers/dp/0545055768
Walter Dean Myers - Fallen Angels
this book was so intense I can not believe we were asked to read it.
We were having problems with our 2-yr old as well, but she loves to read and behavior books have seemed to help. We make it into a game and praise her when she behaves well. Here's a few of the books:
http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Hitting-Board-Book-Behavior/dp/157542200X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BRMYJMDZ5DZXN2WKX6G
http://www.amazon.com/Calm-Down-Toddler-Tools-Elizabeth-Verdick/dp/1575423162/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=61o8yc8bs7L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0CHBT71V3RT2DY8M5ZRZ
Not exactly on the "fun" side, but this book does a good job helping kids understand how a therapist helps with trauma.
No, he did...you can see it on page 1 from the "Look Inside" from this book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Rosa-Parks-My-Story/dp/0141301201#reader_0141301201
A Monster Calls - It's a tearjerker, but such a good read.
I'm so sorry about your neighbor, and that you're feeling so scared right now. That is the WORST!
As the top commenter mentioned, though, the overwhelming majority of crimes against children are committed by people who know the child. What happened to your neighbor was extremely rare. Where safety is concerned, it's very important to teach kids to stay in sight of a trusted adult when out and about, and to emphasize lessons about their right to their boundaries, consent, and listening to their instincts when in any situation with another person, no matter how well they think they know that person. If they are in a situation that starts to feel uncomfortable, they should say so (if possible), and/or find a safe way to leave it.
This book, linked below, is a great one to use with kids. It's in very kid friendly language, and it's a read-aloud style book that can help you facilitate a good conversation. It talks specifically about keeping private parts private/ trying to prevent sex abuse, but the strategies are applicable to any situation that feels uncomfortable, or any kind of violence.
http://www.amazon.com/Said-guide-keeping-private-parts/dp/1878076493/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I actually have not read this but I’ve heard good things about Fallen Angels. https://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Angels-Walter-Dean-Myers/dp/0545055768
There are some books written in an age appropriate way for young children that are meant to help them learn that "Private parts are private" and that it is okay to tell people if an abuser tries to make them keep a secret.
Here is one example but there are a few others out there:
http://www.amazon.com/Said-Guide-Keeping-Private-Parts/dp/1878076493/
I would highly recommend looking at some of those books and getting one that you can use with your kids to help make sure they grow up knowing they should ask for help and shouldn't be ashamed if an abuser tries to hurt them. I'm so proud of you for choosing to make sure the abuse ends with your generation.
http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545132061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418840691&sr=8-1&keywords=smile+raina
Sometimes people look like boys when they're little, but then they grow up and it turns out they're really girls on the inside, or they look like boys when they're little but later it turns out they're really boys.
There are also some books for young children that explain what it means to be trans in an age-appropriate way, which may be helpful. E.g., When Aiden Became a Brother, and It Feels Good to Be Yourself.
I second the Tamora Pierce suggestion. Also definitely Gregor the Overlander! Suzanne Collin's lesser known series (she wrote Hunger Games). I recently finished reading (it's a 5-book series) and it was FANTASTIC. Just amazing. It's a YA series. The House of the Scorpion is also great, might be for your stronger readers. Eragon series is fun, and Dealing with Dragons is still one of my all-time favorite dragon books/series. Bruce Coville is a great author, and his work might be a little young but it's good to have a mix. I absolutely loved everything of his I have read, but especially Aliens Ate My Homework and the rest of that series. Most of these will appeal to the young men, hopefully.
When I was a young lady, I read pretty much anything, but I know a lot of boys like books with a boy main character. I really was a bit horse crazy, so here's some you might look into for your young ladies. The Saddle Club is a very long series about 3 girls and their horse-y adventures. It was really fun and it's great to find longer series because, if they like the first one, there's a lot to enjoy. (Oh a thought - you could always get the first one in a series, then just tell them to get the rest from the library or something, if there's budget concerns) I also liked the Thoroughbred Series and the wonderful Marguerite Henry horse books, especially the famous Misty of Chincoteague but really any of her books is a good read. My all time favorite horse series was and still is The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. Oh, how I loved that book.
There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom was fantastic the first time I read it, and I also like the "Wayside School" books which are both by Louis Sachar. Judy Blume is fun as is Beverly Cleary. Redwall gets a lot of kids into reading, you also might consider some high-level comics/graphic novels to reach a different audience. The Hobbit Graphic Novel has great illustration and I loved reading it so much when I found it one day in a store.
I found history pretty boring so avoided those books but I did enjoy The King's Swift Rider about Robert the Bruce and Scotland, might be the only vaguely historical book I remember reading around those ages. I tried to avoid mystery books more or less, but I loved Encyclopedia Brown (even though according to Amazon it's for younger ages). I enjoyed Harriet the Spy she was a pretty cool girl role-model at the time. My Side of the Mountain was absolutely fantastic and such a great adventure, though I enjoy everything Jean Craigshead George writes. I feel like Julie of the Wolves is pretty standard reading material, maybe not anymore, but what a great story. Oh my gosh, I just about forgot The Indian in the Cupboard, that was such a good story. Anything Roald Dahl is wonderful as is Jane Yolen, I especially recommend the Pit Dragon trilogy. The Golden Compass, So You Want to be A Wizard, Animorphs, Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Kiki Strike, Dinotopia, Song of the Gargoyle and The City of Ember.
I am sure that is way more than you need, but my mind started racing. It was hard to stop once I started -- thank you for that enjoyable tour through my past. Lots of great memories of time spent reading. Hope you find some of this helpful, at least.
Fallen Angels
The Pawn
I read Fallen Angels in high school for a reading assignment and I just really enjoyed it. It's about an African-American troop during the Vietnam War and how they were treated compared to white troops.
The Pawn is the first book I've read since high school and the first one I've read on my own for entertainment since way before that. But I really liked it and it was free on iBooks (at least a few months ago). It's the first book of a crime series that seems pretty interesting (on the second book now)
Boy.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621462-a-monster-calls
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Calls-Inspired-idea-Siobhan/dp/0763660655/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449055333&sr=8-1&keywords=a+monster+calls
Hands Are Not for Hitting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/157542200X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WBhYCbAEPA4ZB
I’ve got boy/girl twin toddlers too! You’re gonna want to get all these books... hitting, kicking, sharing...
It’s great because we read them and practice what they say and the kids totally get it. When my son hits we say “are hands for hitting?” And he says “no” then we say “what are hands for?” And he says “waving” or “clapping”
If he’s just excited and needs to let out energy I redirect him to clap or high five and I meet him at the energy level he wants. If he’s angry, we make sure he know hitting hurts sister and that we need to use gentle hands.
You basically do this on repeat and one day it’ll kinda click. He is almost 2 and still gets aggressive at times but we have a way to diffuse it quickly.
Good luck! Do they hug and kiss yet? That sorta makes it all worthwhile.
This is the first book that made me start questioning life. I mean if the leaders in his world could do so many awful things under the guise of harmony, what could my own leaders being doing? I'd like to read this book because I still love dystopian society books.
The library at my school actually has this and another book, http://www.amazon.com/Terrible-Thing-Happened-Margaret-Holmes/dp/1557987017/ref=pd_sim_b_2/175-5420178-0132513
Thanks for the link, will look into this...
I have below book - I said NO...
But it doesn't cover why private parts are private!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1878076493/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1
Two really great books for kids that age:
I Said No! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1878076493/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495158198&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=i+said+no+a+kid-to-kid+guide+to+keeping+your+private+parts+private&dpPl=1&dpID=51ICXdtem6L&ref=plSrch
No Tresspassing: This is my Body
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0984747206/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z9SN6SBJKMQ3CW7474TX&dpPl=1&dpID=51uOuZlHGHL
I hope these links work. I don't really know how to do them on mobile.
We were having an issue with our 2.5 year old hitting at Daycare. We bought the Hands Are Not For Hitting book and read it every night. Maybe you could buy Teeth Are Not For Biting and read that? Or get one for Daycare and ask them to read it to him at every instance of biting.
Everlost by Neil Shusterman
You can see a sample here: https://www.amazon.com/Everlost-Skinjacker-Trilogy-Book-1-ebook/dp/B002NT3B6Q
[To Be Free: Understanding and Eliminating Racism]
(http://www.amazon.com/Be-Free-Understanding-Eliminating-Racism/dp/1890434809/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330933064&sr=1-9&tag=bookforyoudm-20)
Dahl is also known for writing several very detailed accounts of corporal punishment in the autobiography of his school days, which had a, errr, formative effect on many kinksters.